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Cutting Grocery Costs without Cutting Nutrition

Simple, healthy, and affordable ways to weather the rising price of food

by Karen Collins, R.D., American Institute of Cancer Research

Grocery prices are projected to increase again in 2008 – that’s following 2007’s highest annual increase in 17 years. But surviving these tough economic times doesn’t have to mean sacrificing good nutrition. Some simple strategies can help you cut food costs and eat more healthfully, too.

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Madlynn is Kid of the Month

Some things should never be said...

by Kristyn Kusek Lewis

What Not to Say About Someone's Appearance
Don’t say: “You look good for your age.”
Why: Anything with a caveat like this is rude. It's saying, "You look great―compared with other old people. It's amazing you have all your own teeth."
Instead say: “You look great.”

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7 love rules you need to break

‘Cosmopolitan’ magazine lists nonconventional tips for happier relationships

These relationship secrets go against conventional wisdom, but “Cosmo” believes in shaking things up. Colleen Rush shares seven new rules for today's relationships:



Just because you’ve always done something one way doesn’t mean it’s the right way. Remember how much your life improved when you finally gave up super-low-rise jeans, dating only bad boys, and dial-up modems? Relationship experts say that ditching the following seven love rules can be just as liberating — maybe more.

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Holding Her Head High

Actress Janine Turner Inspires Single Mothers
New Book Uncovers Moving Stories of Single Mothers Throughout History

by Janine Turner

Nashville, TN – History yields to all types of mothers. Helena Augusta, abandoned single mother of Constantine, helped forever change Christianity. Widowed single mother Belva Lockwood would become the first female presidential candidate in 1884. And Harriet Jacobs, a slave, chose to live in a small airless attic for 7 years so her children could have freedom while diligently fighting for her own freedom and her children's safety.

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Single Mom Dating Tips from Ms. Single Mama

I have been a dating single mom for over two years now.

And the first thing I can tell you is this - it's not easy. First you have to get past your divorce, the heartbreak, the anger and the tears. And then, once you are finally ready to get back out there, you have to factor in the kids and their feelings.

Here are a few of my single mom dating advice articles that are a good base. Start here and then come back to my blog every day, because as you'll soon see - I'm learning as I go!

Ms. Single Mama advises on How to meet men as a single mom and date them, The good stuff: falling in love as a single mom, The not-so-good stuff: breaking up as a single mom.

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Consumer: womens news
 

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Single Moms - find here resources on financial aid, scholarships, help with basic needs, food, prescription drugs, health care, housing, legal info, and much more...

 

Story of Christina (Allen) Zacny from Wheatfield, IN

 

I hope you consider my story. There is a lot more to it, but I just didn't think that I could fit everything in one essay. I just want to say that I am proud of being a single mom and that in many ways, I think my children and I are much better off.

 

I came across this website through a Google search for college grants for single moms and was really intrigued by the site and wanted to share my story with you.

 

My name is Christina and I am currently a single mother of 4 beautiful daughters, Jazmyn (17), Bristol (14), Belanah (8), and Fiona (2). Two of my daughters are on the autistic spectrum, Bristol has been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome with a learning disability in language comprehension and Fiona has pervasive developmental disorder- not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) with hyperlexia and echolalia. Many may think of this as a tragedy, but I don't see it that way. My children are beautiful and intelligent and special in their own way.

 

I grew up poor, but loved dearly by my family. I was at the top of my class in high school, even though I gave birth to Jazmyn during the first semester of my senior year. I continued on to college and did very well (I was on the dean's list), but I had to leave at the beginning of my junior year to better care for my children. I have worked a variety of jobs and lived paycheck to paycheck, but even though we were poor, my children never suffered. There have been many ups and downs in our lives and although there were some times when it seemed useless to go on, I focused on the positive things in our lives and we prevailed.

 

In 1999, I tore my acl and cartiledge in my right knee and couldn't work for about 3 months. I decided to pursue another vocation (I was a bartender at the time) and lucked out when a local casino was interviewing for blackjack dealers and providing the training free of charge. I did very well and in the span of a few months, I had learned almost all of the games and became one of the best dealers on the boat. I was making good money and had paid vacations and good insurance and life was looking up. I was promoted quickly to supervisor (pit boss) and life was good. I met a wonderful guy and married quickly and soon I was expecting a baby. I had a very difficult pregnancy and hard delivery, but she seemed very healthy and I was happy. When she was 7 months old, I fell at work and re-tore my acl and underwent extensive surgery to try to repair the damage. I was off of work again ( a very extended leave of absence) and now almost two years and several surgeries later, I am permanently disabled. During this time, I found out that my youngest daughter had multiple food allergies and severe developmental delays. After further testing, she was diagnosed autistic at 14 months without a good prognosis for the future. I took the initiative and worked intensively researching autism and developed my own system for teaching her to speak. I leaned sign language and used picture and books and played on the floor with her every day. Within 6 months, my 14 yr old was diagnosed with AS, I lost both my grandfather and father to pancreatic cancer, and my husband refused to accept Fiona's autism. I was very distraught and depressed, but I pressed on every day and worked so hard to deal with my losses and improve my children's lives.

 

It worked! Fiona has an great outlook for the future. Her IQ is in the genius range and at age two can read, spell, name very complex shapes (ie: quadrilateral, trapezoid, rhombus), and count to 100. Bristol is doing well in school this year and has finally become more social and is reading more. Jazmyn is a senior this year and is going to go to college and Belanah is a straight A student and a cheerleader. My husband and I have gotten divorced because of the issues with autism and my disability, but I am not afraid to be alone. I am self sufficient and although we don't have a lot of extra money floating around, my family is very happy. I am planning to go back to college to either teach special needs children or become a special needs attorney. I am very outspoken about educating the public about autism, raising awareness of it and helping other families learn how to teach their autistic child.

 

In closing, I just want to say that I know that this is a very limited essay of our lives and it would take an entire book to justify our struggles and accomplishments. I just hope that you can envision our lives from this brief glimpse and go on to touch someone else's life today. I strongly believe that everything we do could affect the entire world and if I can change a single person's life for the better, I may make a difference in the future. Kiss your children today and tell them how special they are and how much you love them and they may grow up to make a difference too.

We would like to hear from you! Write to us at Contact Us Page
Read more amazing mom stories on the Amazing Mom Forum.
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Utility Prices are Significant Expenses

by Randi Lynn Millward

I don't know about you, but my electric bill is sky-high. I've been running around the house unplugging everything in sight so as not to incur charges from my appliances using "phantom energy".

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Because you are somebody special!

by Annette Bridges

Since my trip to Italy, my husband and I have enjoyed a delicious breakfast routine that often includes French toast, fresh fruit and a yummy cup of cappuccino.

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Our Friendships

by Laurie Cesario-Overton

We all have those days when we get overwhelmed and it seems like every time we turn around there is another problem.

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3 Money Rules for Stay-at-Home Moms

As we all know, life is unpredictable. We lose jobs, get divorced and even become widowed...
Here are three steps stay-at-home parents should take to better manage their own and the family’s finances.

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You May Have Too Much Debt But You Also Have Options

How Life Works

If you feel like you're in over your head with personal debt, you're not alone. Millions of Americans have become overextended, many as a result of easy credit and the recessions. Credit cards, medical bills, personal loans and raising interest rates do not make a good financial mix.

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Could fat babies mean fat toddlers?

A new study from Harvard Medical School found that babies who gained weight quickly had a sharply higher risk of obesity. The study followed close to 600 babies and found those in the top quarter of weight for their length at 6 months had a 40 percent higher risk of obesity by age 3 than smaller babies.

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Offer to barter

Dr. Marie - Advice for Pet Owners

A vetʼs office is a business that requires a lot of services. In many cases your vet may be willing to barter in exchange for veterinary services.

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How to Find the Best Car Loans for Single Moms

Financial Advice for Single Moms

The best car loans for single mothers might be just around the corner at your local car lot.

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Crystal Bowersox - A Single Mom And A Real American Idol

Read how the amazing Crystal Bowersox. the runner-up of American Idol Season 9, handles fame and life as a single mom, raising her 17 month old son.

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5 Ways for Single Moms to Save Money

Single moms are always looking for ways to save money, and for good reason... It’s important to find ways to cut corners on the little things that perhaps you don’t think about too often, because those are usually where your biggest money drains are.

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Suze Orman's Recession Rescue Plan - helps you survive in times of financial crisis

OPRAH.com

Do you know what your family would do if you lost your job - or worse, your home? Financial expert Suze Orman is ready to help you devise a recession rescue plan to survive - and possibly thrive - during this deepening financial crisis...

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Your Just-in-Case Emergency Plan

by RealSimple

Who do you call if you can't make it home in time to meet the kids' bus? Who do you trust to take in your mail when you're on vacation? Who do you trust with the extra set of keys to your house?

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How to save $10,000

By Liz Pulliam Weston

If you were hoping for a list of small tweaks you could make in your spending to save $10,000 a year, sorry. The reality is that $10,000 is a lot of money. And saving big money usually means making big changes in the areas where we spend the most, such as: Housing, Transportation, Food.

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The Super, Sexy, Single Mom on a Budget

by Renee Rayles

A quick reference guide designed for the busy, single mom who has

little time to read while running the mom taxi, cooking dinner, helping with homework, and trying to fit in a date night every now and then.

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Single Mothers &
Male Role-Models / Mentors

Single mothers carry an enormous load of responsibility, especially those having sole and/or primary custody of minor children. They nourish, they nurture, they teach, they discipline, they shelter, they protect, and they provide… all without the assistance of another equally-invested adult.

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Mom's Obesity Raises Newborn's Heart Risk

from the National Institute of Health

The more obese a woman is when she becomes pregnant, the greater the likelihood that her newborn baby will have a congenital heart defect, a new study suggests. The finding raises concerns because 1 in 5 women are obese at the start of pregnancy in the United States.

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The 10-Ingredient Shopping Trip

By Tara Parker-Pope and Mark Bittman

... In his latest “How to Cook Everything” segment on the Today Show, New York Times food writer Mark Bittman makes it surprisingly easy to cook a week’s worth of dinners with just a 10-ingredient shopping trip.

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Your 5-minute guide to protecting your identity

20 steps to protect yourself from identity theft, and seven ways to clean up things if you become a victim.

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Single Moms in the News

6 Best Celebrity Single Moms
Read about Halle Berry, Sandra Bullock, Michelle Williams, Reese Witherspoon, Kimora Lee Simmons, Mary-Louise Parker... read more

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw

by Jeff Kinney

For those wondering why tween boys don’t read very much, the answer is that more books aren’t like this...

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Get more self-confidence

Psychiatrist Gail Saltz and body language expert Janine Driver discuss ways to gain more confidence.

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Teens Report Parental Inattention to Their Important "Rites of Passage" has high price tag

by Amanda Bach

Almost half of America’s high school teens report parental inattention to what they consider to be key transitions during their adolescence, according to a SAAD.org study released. The study suggests that this lack of timely parental involvement in important “rites of passage” comes with a high price tag: the potential for dangerous behaviors that can lead to illness, injury, or death as teens seek alternative milestones to demonstrate growing maturity and independence.

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HowToDoThings.com

Is resource with a multitude of "How-To" topics. For instance, single moms can find helpful information about family life with informative articles on the topic of "Building a Family". HowToDoThings.com presents expert-contributed information on a wide variety of family-related topics, including adoption, pregnancy & birth, parenting, and celebrating family events. Some of our most popular articles are on subjects like "How to Understand a Fetal Monitor", "How to Prepare for Breast Feeding while Pregnant", "How to Set Up an Inflatable Birthing Pool", "How to Choose Nanny Agencies", and "How to Buy Infant or Baby Cribs".

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